Indianapolis Colts Fall Short of Miracle Comeback, Tie Houston Texans

The Houston Texans led the Indianapolis Colts 20-3 entering the fourth quarter in their Week 1 divisional showdown and somehow didn't come away with a win. The Colts stormed back with 17 unanswered points on three consecutive drives to force overtime, but a botched 42-yard field goal attempt in the final two minutes of extra time thwarted the potential storybook ending, and the game ended in a deflating 20-20 tie.

The Colts began the afternoon looking disjointed and unprepared despite being favorites to win the AFC South. Quarterback Matt Ryan struggled in his first game since being traded away from the Atlanta Falcons, losing a fumble and tossing an interception in the first three quarters of play. But the Colts hung around thanks in large part to a steady performance from All-Pro running back Jonathan Taylor, who rumbled for 161 yards on the ground and added another 14 through the air. Ryan found his rhythm in the fourth, and with a little help from a timely fumble forced by linebacker E.J. Speed, the Colts saved themselves an embarrassing upset to their AFC South rival Texans.

The Texans very nearly gave this game away. Quarterback Davis Mills unravelled after a solid first half, taking a pair of sacks that cost his team dearly, including one in which he fumbled deep in Texans territory setting up the Colts' first touchdown. The offense struggled overall despite the fourth-quarter lead, tallying a mere 299 total yards in five periods of play to the Colts' 517, but timely defensive plays came through again and again. Free agent addition pass rusher Jerry Hughes proved an incredible asset in his debut, notching two sacks, an interception, and a forced fumble the Texans recovered for a turnover. If the 34-year-old can stack together a few more performances like that this year, the Texans may have found the steal of the offseason.

Looking ahead to Week 2, the Houston Texans travel to Denver to face a Broncos team smarting after a frustrating loss, and the Indianapolis Colts visit the Jacksonville Jaguars in another AFC South clash.